Jan. 28 – Change to Win
More than 300 SEIU 721 members met for an all-day training session on the economy and planned to work for short-term economic help for California and long-term solutions, like increasing union membership and health care reform.
Feb. 19 – Battling the State Budget Cuts
With the state facing a $42 billion shortfall, community and SEIU members held rallies to protect services from Schwarzenegger’s deep cuts to the services SEIU members provide.
April 24 – Town Hall with Hilda Solis
SEIU members joined a town hall with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and testified on the importance of the Employee Free Choice Act as a means to rebuild the middle class.
April 30 – Building a Better LA County
Elected bargaining team members met to start preparations for 2009 contract negotiations with the goal to Build a Better LA County.
May 13 – Bargaining Kickoff at Board of Supervisors Budget Hearing
SEIU 721 members from all over the county attended the Los Angeles County budget hearing May 13 to launch contract negotiations and talk about the need to maintain core services for residents during the economic downturn.
May 31 – Talking Boots with Supervisor Antonovich
Members spoke to Supervisor Mike Antonovich at the Trail Dusters Ride on May 31, where he expressed support for members’ safety concerns like boots for animal care workers.
June 19 – Rally to Save MLK MACC
With state budget cuts threatening health services, community members and workers at Martin Luther King hospital rallied to preserve services.
June 22 – Community Rallies Against Budget Cuts
More than 1,000 community members and county workers gathered at the LA County Hall of Administration to speak out against the governor’s budget proposal that would deny basic health care and home care to millions of children, students, seniors and people with disabilities.
June 29 – Stay Strong Karen Bass!
SEIU members delivered extra-strength vitamins to Speaker Bass to help her stand up to the governor.
Sept. 15-24 – Rally on Wheels Travels Around LA County
The Rally on Wheels rolled through dozens of worksites to gather support for the LA County contract campaign and reached over 2,300 members.
Sept. 29 – Rally at Board of Supervisors
With just one day to go before contracts expired, almost 3,000 LA County employees stood united for a better LA County at the Hall of Administration. SEIU 721 members appealed to the Board of Supervisors to adopt ideas that would make the county run smoother and sent bargaining teams back to action.
Sept. 30 – All Night Bargaining at Convention Center
After an all-night bargaining session that ended the next morning, bargaining team members reached tentative two-year agreements for most of the 24 bargaining units.
Oct. 9 – Agreement Reached!
SEIU 721 members won a tentative agreement on a two-year contract that preserves services for millions of LA County residents, provides an increase in health care contributions by the county, avoids layoffs and furloughs, and secures contract gains for 55,000 LA County employees. Plus more than 800 student workers won their first contract to help make us even stronger.
Oct. 17 – Improving LA County’s Child Welfare System
Throughout the summer social workers hosted deputies from the Board of Supervisors on several Walk a Day in My Shoes events designed to expose the board offices to social work and emergency response calls and demonstrate the stresses and obstacles social workers face daily. Social workers ended the year with the first ever social worker conference at SEIU 721 headquarters.